Walking along a trail in any New England town, you can almost bet on seeing a stone wall. I love to spot these boundary lines as they snake through the forest, winding their way through history. Sentient beings, these moss-covered stones stand along the edges continuing to hold space long after their creators walked their lands. Centuries later they still stand. Protective. Vigilant. Silent witnesses. The stone walls saw so many changes. Perhaps they experienced them as well as new boundaries drawn. These stone guardians have stories to tell and lessons to share if one is willing to listen. Some may see just an old stone wall while other know they are much more than that.
It is easy to look at a wall or a fence and understand what they are used for. Property lines are drawn and reenforced to keep our homes and businesses safe. It denotes our space from another, creating a haven where we can live as we wish. But what about our personal boundaries? It is just as important to keep healthy boundaries for ourselves so we can be safe and protected within our own skin. How often do we give pieces of ourselves away when we are too tired, lacking energy, or when we just don’t want to do something? How often do we allow another to enter our space mentally, emotionally, or even physically? We can often feel obligated to let someone in or say what they want to because we don’t want to hurt their feelings. But is it ok to allow them into a place where you feel hurt, upset or annoyed?
Boundaries are not a negative thing. They are created to help us fortify our own needs. Just like the word “no,” boundaries help us foster our personal space, energy, intentions, and needs. If we keep expending our energy for everyone else, we will not have enough for ourselves. Having healthy boundaries is not a selfish thing. Like everything in life, there is balance. Everything cannot be about us, just like we can’t live for everyone else, neglecting ourselves. There is a give and take in life and we deserve some of the richness as well. It is a practice and something that we can work on every day.
Humans may forget about the boundary lines, but these sacred Earth Keepers do not. We can learn a lot from these forgotten stone features. If we pause, reflect, and observe, we can find the answers that have been within us all along. These steadfast structures are reflections of necessary boundaries. They are something that we can often overlook as we go for a hike and forget about in our personal lives. So, as you travel upon your open road, looking for an out of the way path, be aware of the sacred boundaries that wind their way around and within you. You will be happy that you did.
Be well today,
Renee Bedard ~ The Whispering Crow
The Whispering Crow 